


Between the Lines

by transmasc_jamestkirk



Series: Anxious Danny [3]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Anxiety Disorder, Don't copy to another site, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, I suppose, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Slash, References to 4x19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 11:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18387656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transmasc_jamestkirk/pseuds/transmasc_jamestkirk
Summary: He couldn’t breathe.He was going to die.He was going to die in a dirty fucking alley from a panic attack. Great.Otherwise known as: Danny has a panic attack and runs, Steve finds him, and he and Adam remind him that he's loved.





	Between the Lines

**Author's Note:**

> As you all know, anxiety is different for everybody. This is inspired by my personal emotions and experiences. Also I would like to apologize to Danny Williams for always making him suffer in my fics. I just love anxious Danny, what can I say? 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!

From the moment he woke up, Danny knew it was going to be a hard day. He could feel the anxiety in the base of his stomach, a knot that just kept winding tighter and tighter as the day went on. Even his clothes felt too constricting as he opted for a loose t-shirt and jeans instead of his usual button up and slacks.

He knew the team noticed something off about him the second he stepped into the office, but he did his best to ignore them and headed straight to his office. Focusing on the file on his desk, Danny tried to think about anything but the knot in his stomach and tension in his muscles. As luck would have it though, the case just HAD to be a dead body found in the rubble of a building demolition. His stomach ached and he could feel the dust choking him again. Feel every shift of concrete as he and Steve lay trapped under the building. The knot in his stomach consumed him, and he couldn’t breathe.

He had to go. Had to run. Had to just _get away_.

Danny wasn’t thinking properly as he threw the case file down and burst out of his office. He ignored the startled faces of the team and shoved past Steve as the man entered the office. He heard Steve yell his name and he broke into a run. He wasn’t even sure what he was running from, but he just had to get away.

He sprinted down the stairs, through the lobby, and out onto the lawn before pausing for a moment. Danny looked around wildly. He had no plan, no reasoning for his behavior, but he just couldn’t help it. He hooked right and just ran. Steve and the team would be looking for him, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting away from the crushing pressure in his chest and the whirlwind in his mind.

The pain in his knee and the ache in his chest were secondhand, barely even registering in Danny’s mind until he stumbled and felt the world crashing down around him. Ducking into the nearest alley, he sunk to the ground with his knees to his chest. His bad knee was killing him and the other one was bleeding from when he tripped, but he just huddled further into the shadows.

He couldn’t fucking breathe.

Couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but shrink into the shadows and hyperventilate. He wanted to scream, to cry, to do ANYTHING, but he was frozen in place. It was stupid. There was no reason for him to be acting like this as a grown man. He hadn’t had a panic attack in fuckin’ years- why was he doing this? He was a grown ass man acting like the pathetic teenager he once was. Self-hate washed over him like a wave, and his hands gripped tightly into his hair as he curled up as tight as he could against the wall. He couldn’t breathe.

He was going to die.

He was going to die in a dirty fucking alley from a panic attack. Great.

Every footstep by the alley filled Danny with paralyzing fear. He couldn’t be found. He just wanted to stay in the shadows, to hide until he passed out or he was magically transported out of this hell. He was so consumed he didn’t even hear the footsteps running up the alley until they stopped and spoke.

“Danny?”

_Steve._

Danny’s head shot up, eyes wide. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t explain this to Steve. He scrambled to his feet and tried to push past him, but Steve’s hand shot out to grab his arm. Without thinking, Danny lashed out and connected a solid punch to his face. He was frozen with fear as Steve stumbled back.

He just punched his best friend in the face.

He was going to throw up.

Danny began to back away but Steve grabbed his arm again.

“Danny, whatever it is, I can help you! You just have to settle down.”

He paid no heed to Steve’s words, brain locked in to the blood trickling from the side of Steve’s mouth. _He did that._

He struggled to pull away with a renewed vigor, but Steve wasn’t making the same mistake again. Catching Danny’s arm as he swung again, he twisted it and forced him face first into the brick.

“Danny, stop! It’s me, Steve! Let me help you.”

Something in Danny’s brain stopped for a moment of bitter irony. This was like a butchered version of their first day working together.

He swung his leg back, hoping to blindly connect with _something_ to get Steve off of him.

Instead, Steve let go of his arm and pressed closer, pinning his legs to the wall with his, and pinning his wrists behind his back. Danny tried to wriggle, but Steve just pressed him harder into the wall. He wasn’t giving an inch.

“Don’t make me handcuff you. I don’t know what has gotten into you, but I _will_ handcuff you if you don’t stop trying to hit me.” He spoke lowly into Danny’s ear. As one last effort proved that Steve was not going to move, Danny just slumped into the wall. Steve pulled back slightly, and Danny’s knees gave out before Steve caught him as he began to fall.

“Are you calmer now?” He asked softly.

Danny nodded numbly. Steve helped lower him to the ground.

After a moment of silence, Steve spoke again.

“Would you like to explain what the hell just happened?”

Danny squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

“I don’t want to make you talk, but you really scared the shit out of everyone, Danno.” He said softly.

Danny ignored the tear that slid down his cheek. He couldn’t believe they were about to have this conversation sat side by side on the ground in some nasty alley.

“I’m sorry Steve.” He cringed as his voice broke, but Steve just wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

“Please just tell me what’s wrong. Whatever it is, I’ll help you. We’ll all help you, Danno- that’s what ohana does.”

Danny took a deep breath.

“I have an anxiety disorder, got diagnosed as a teenager. It hasn’t really been a problem for a while, but I could feel it creepin’ up on me when I got up this morning. I tried to push through it but that fuckin’ Miller case, just made me think of when we were trapped under that building. I could feel the bar in my stomach and I could hear the shifting concrete and I could taste the fucking dust, Steve. I panicked and I just ran. I don’t know why. I just had to run. I’m so sorry, Steve, I’m sorry.”

He tried to choke back the sob, but Steve just pulled him tighter against him.

“I’m sorry, Danny. I should have made sure that you were okay working that case.”

“It wasn’t your fault. It’s not like I ever told any of you that I had a fuckin’ anxiety problem.”

“Danny, I should have known.” Danny opened his mouth to respond but snapped it shut at the look on Steve’s face. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

“I think my ass is numb.”

Steve chuckled and pulled him to his feet. Danny tried to take a step but groaned as his bad knee gave out.  Steve caught him before he fell.

“Woah, hold on buddy. Adam is waiting in my truck, just wait a sec.” He pulled out his phone and dialed.

“Hey Adam, can you pull the truck up to the alley by Smith and King? Danny’s fine but I’m gonna need your help getting him to the truck.”

They sat back against the wall and waited until they saw Adam’s form jogging down the alley. The relief on his face was evident as he saw Danny.

“Alright Williams, lets get you out of here.”

With Steve under Danny’s left arm and Adam under his right, they slowly made their way back to the truck. He hopped up onto the passenger seat, but Adam caught the door.

“Steve’s got a first-aid kit in here, let me take care of that knee.”

Danny rolled his eyes.

“I’m not a child, Adam.”

“Danny, please. It’s the least I can do.” He saw the earnesty in Adam’s eyes and a twinge of guilt made its way through his stomach. He really did scare the shit out of the team. He’d have to explain everything later. He nodded, and tried not to grimace as Adam slowly rolled up his pant leg and cleaned the wound on his knee. Adam’s hands were gentle as he worked, and Danny smiled fondly. Steve was sitting silently in the driver’s seat, arm across Danny’s shoulders and rubbing a gentle pattern into the back of his neck. He loved them, and they loved him. As Adam finished bandaging the scrape and set to work taping an ice pack to his bad knee, Danny spoke.

“I love you guys. I’ve put you through hell, and I’m sorry.”

Steve squeezed the back of his neck.

“Danno, we love you too. I was serious when I said we would be here for you no matter what.”

Adam patted his leg and stood up.

“Steve’s right. We have each other’s backs no matter what.”

As Adam climbed into the back seat and they headed home, Danny felt the knot in his stomach finally unwind.

**Author's Note:**

> I love you all and I hope you enjoyed this fic!! I absolutely love comments so please don't be afraid to comment!  
> Also, please let me know if you'd like a second chapter or a sequel to this! I kinda realized that I love this ship and I want to write more of them
> 
> Title from The Lines by Beartooth


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